Karen Kim

Karen Kim is a Professor at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine in the Department of Medicine with specialization in Gastroenterology. She serves as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on numerous NIH-funded research projects including the Chicago CCFC for the new AsA-NHPI cohort (2023-2030), ACCISIS-Chicago (2018-2023), and the Partnership for Healthier Asians (2013-2016). Her research portfolio spans two major areas: cardiovascular surgery (particularly aortic dissection and related pathologies) and health disparities research focusing on colorectal cancer screening in Asian American communities.

Dr. Kim's research interests bridge clinical medicine and population health. In cardiovascular surgery, she investigates aortic dissection management, surgical techniques for complex aortic pathologies, and outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Her work in health disparities focuses on implementation science approaches to improve colorectal cancer screening rates among underserved populations, particularly Asian Americans. She has developed and evaluated multilevel interventions incorporating patient navigation, community engagement, and health system improvements to address cancer screening disparities.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a dual research trajectory with significant contributions to both cardiovascular surgery and implementation science. Her cardiovascular work demonstrates expertise in aortic pathology with numerous publications in high-impact surgical journals, while her implementation science research shows methodological sophistication in addressing health disparities through community-based participatory approaches. This unique combination of surgical expertise and population health focus enables her to address complex healthcare challenges from multiple perspectives.

Dr. Kim leads multiple significant research initiatives including the Chicago South Side Cancer Disparities Initiative and the Partnership for Healthier Asians, which have received substantial NIH funding. Her work has been widely disseminated through numerous high-impact publications and has garnered significant attention in both academic and public health circles. She collaborates extensively with colleagues across the University of Chicago medical center and with national research networks focused on cardiovascular outcomes and cancer disparities.